Retaining valve device



Nov. 19, 1935 I w E, DEAN, JR

RETAINING VALVE DEVICE Filed May 25, 1934 Fig! I 24 v 7\ "\H l1 52' 2 3 4- IIIIIH 26 10 6 $2 7 2 \3o SLOW RELEASE I-"DIRECT RELEASE IN VEN TOR WILLIAM E.DEAN,JR (DEGEASED) DORIS BROWN DEAN,EXECUTRIX 1 ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 19, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RETAINING VALVE DEVICE Application May 23, 1934, Serial No. 727,095

3 Claims. 7' (Cl. 303-79) This invention relates to fluid pressure brakes, andmore particularly to a brake cylinder pres--' sure retaining valve device.

The conventional fluid pressure brake cylinder is provided with a leakage groove which establishes communication from the piston chamber at one side of the brake cylinder piston to the atmosphere in the spring chamber at the opposite side of said piston, sothat fluid under pressure 10 which may leak through the triple valve device into said piston chamber will be vented to the atmosphere and thus avoid building up a pressure in the piston chamber suflicient to cause the brakes to creep on. I

When brake pipe pressure is reduced to effect a service application of the brakes, the rate of reduction in brake pipe pressure in the rear portion of a long train may only be suflicient to cause the triple valve devices on cars in that portion to only partially open their service ports, with the result that fluid under pressure being supplied to the brake cylinders on those cars at a slow rate, may leak off through the leakage grooves in the brake cylinders and thereby prevent an application of the brakes from being eifected in that portion of the train.

One object of the invention is to avoid the above mentioned difliculty, and to accomplish this object there is provided means preferably associated with a retaining valve device and intended to serve as a substitute for the usual leakage groove in a fluid pressure brake cylinder, said means being operative to normally maintain com munication from the brake cylinder to the atmosphere and being rendered ineffective upon movement of the triple valve device to its application position. i

When trains, and particularly long trains, are controlled over descending grades, it isthe' prac- 40 tice to turn the retaining valves to their pressure retaining positions when the train enters the descending grade and to turn them to their direct release positions again when the train reachesa level or adverse grade. Thus, in operating over 5 undulating grades, the retaining valves are repeatedly turned up to their retaining positions and then turned down to their direct release positions, depending uponthe grade.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved retaining valve device having means for obviating the above mentioned need for repeatedly turning the retaining valves first to their pressure retaining-positions and then to their direct release positions, and for this purpose the retaining valve device has, in addition to the usual retaining valve device to release fluid un- 10;

der pressure from the brake cylinder at one rate until the brake cylinder pressure has been re- I duced to a predetermined degree, which rate is slow enough to enable the train to be safely controlled on a heavy descending grade and slower 15 than the first mentioned rate, whereupon said device functions to release the remaining fluid under pressure from the brake cylinder at a still slower rate. This final venting of fluid under pressure from the brake cylinder is for the pur- 20 pose ofinsuring the brakes remaining applied for a predetermined period of time after the retaining valve device has been moved to its retaining position.

Since, in neither of the above mentioned posi- 25 tions does the retaining valve device embodying the invention have a closing value, if the train is approaching a level or adverse section of a generally descending grade and a brake release is initiated in time, all brake cylinder pressure 30 will be exhausted and the train will therefore be as free to move over the level or adverse grade section as though the retaining valve device were in its direct release position.

Another object of the invention is to provide an 35 improved retaining valve device having operating positions in which fluid under pressure may be completely released from the brake cylinder at predetermined slow rates and having means for promptly releasing the last few pounds of brake 40 cylinder pressure, such as live pounds, when efiecting a release of the brakes with the retaining valve device turned up to an operating position, so that the brake cylinder piston may return promptly to full release position and thereby avoid dragging of the brake shoes against the car wheels, with consequent unnecessary brake shoe wear.

Other objects and advantages will appear'in the following more detailed description of the 5 invention.

In the accompanying drawing: Fig. l is a sectional view of a retaining valve device embodying the invention, the device being shown turned to its high pressure retaining position; and Fig. 2 55 is a diagrammatic View of a car brake equipment, showing the improved retaining valve device associated therewith.

As shown in Fig. 2, the car brake equipment may comprise the usual triple valve device 3d, auxiliary reservoir 35r brake cylinder 36 and brake pipe 3?. The retaining valve device 38 is connected by a pipe I4 with the exhaust port of the triple valve device 34, in the usual mannerl- As shown in Fig. l, the pressure retaining valve device may comprise a casing: tiliaving a valve chamber 2 containing a valve 3 adapted to seat on an annular seat rib 4 formed; in said.

casing around a bore 5 which is open to the atmosphere through an openingrfi imsaid'casing, the valve chamber 2 being closed at one endby a cap nut I having screw-threaded connection with said-casing.

The valve 3 may be provided with aibarrelshaped stem 8 slidably guided within the bore 5 and having a bore 9 which extends inwardly for a distance from the outer end of said stem. Said stem may be chamfered immediately below the valve 3 so as to form, withthe seating face of the valve, an annular groove I0, and leading from said groove is a restricted passage I I which opens into the bore 9.

A coil spring I2 interposed between and engaging the casing I and the valve stem 8 at the 30' bottom of the bore 9 acts to normally maintain the valve 3 unseated against a predetermined pressure, such as five pounds. 7

The valve chamber 2 isconnected by a passage I3 to the pipe I4 which has screw-threaded connection with the casing I and, as aforementioned, leads to the exhaust port of the triple valve device on the car.

Mounted in the casing I is a plug valve I5, which is adapted to be rotated through themedium of an operating handle 3I' and which has a through port I6. The operating handle has three operating positions, namely: direct release, slow release, and pressure retaining.

A passage I'I leads from passage I3 through a restricted passage I8 in a choke plug f9 and communicates with the plug valve I5.

The casing I is provided with a valve chamber 20 containing a retaining valve H which is normally maintained seated on a" seat 22, provided on a seat member 23 securely mounted in the casing, by a spring 24" contained in the valve chamber 20 and interposed between and engaging said valve and a cap nut 25 which closes one end of the valve chamber 20. The valve 2I controls communication from passage I! to passage 26 which leads through a restricted passage 2T in a choke plug 28 to an atmospheric exhaust passage 29. I 7

The valve seat 22 is provided with a narrow shallow groove 32'. When the valve 2I is seated, the groove 32 forms, with the seating face of said valve, a restricted passage leading from passage ii to chamber 20.

A passage 33 is provided in thecasing I leading from the pipe I4 and communicating with the plug valve I5 and a passage 36 is provided communicating with said plug valve and leading to the atmospheric exhaust passage 29.

In operation, assuming that the operating handle 3! is in direct release position, the plug valve I5 is so positioned that the port I6 therein connects passage 33, connecting with pipe l4 and passage !3, to passage 30 leading to the atmospheric exhaust passage 29. The valve chamber 2 being open to passage I3, is therefore normally at atmospheric pressure andthe spring l2 acts on the valve stem 8 to maintain the valve 3 away from the seat rib 4, thereby opemng communication from chamber 2 through the restricted passage II to the bore 9. 5

When the triple valve device moves to its application position, communication is out ch from the brake cylinder to the exhaust port in said device, as is well understood, and since pipe I 4 leads to said exhaust port, communication is thus out 01f from. the brake cylinder to the retaining valve device. It being presupposed that the usual leakage. groove is omitted from the brake cylinder, if the triple valve device is on a car at the: rear 'end of a long train, when the rate of brakepipe reduction is suihcient to cause said deviceto only partially open the service port and to therefore supply fluid under pressure to the brake cylinder at a slow rate, a brake application on said car is assured, because fluid under pressure supplied to the brake cylinder cannot leak off as it would were a leakage groove provided in the brake cylinder.

With the plug valve I5 in direct release position, fluid released from the brake cylinder, upon movement of the triple valve device to release position, is vented directly to the atmosphere through pipe I4, passage 33, port 56, and pas sages and 29 at a rapid rate, which may be substantially the same rate as that provided for 30 in the usual retaining valve device.

When the plug valve is turned to slow release position, fluid is released from the brake cylinder directly to the atmosphere, at a slow rate. When the triple valve device moves to release position, fluid under pressure supplied from the brake cylinder to passage I3 through the pipe I4 flows to the valve chamber 2. Due to the restricted flow capacity of passage II, the fluid pressure acting on valve 3 in chamber 2 to seat 40" said valve builds up rapidly to a degree greater than the pressure of the spring I2 acting to maintain said valve unseated, the latter pressure being substantially the same as that normally required, say five pounds, to move the brake cylinder piston to its application position. The valve 3 is therefore seated on the seat rib 4, thereby cutting ofl? communication from chamber 2 to the atmosphere by way of passage ii, the bore 9 and the atmospheric opening E3.

With the plug valve in slow release position, port I6 connects passage I? with passage as, so that fluid under'pressure is released from the brake cylinder through pipe i4, passage I 3, the restricted passage I8, passage II, port I 6, and passages 30 and 29. If a subsequent application of the brakes is not efiected within a predetermined period of time, the brake cylinder will be completely vented. The flow of fluid from the brake cylinder to the atmosphere by way of the restricted passage I8 is preferably at such a slow rate as to prevent the complete release of the brakes during the period of time normally required to recharge the auxiliary reservoirs on the cars throughout the train to a safe operating pressure on light grades.

When the pressure in the brake cylinder, and consequently in valve chamber 2, has been reduced to a predetermined low degree. such as five pounds, the spring I2 will unseat the valve 3, so that fluid will be vented from the brake cylinder through the passage I! as well as through the restricted passage I8. This final venting of fluid from the brake cylinder is at a relatively rapid rate so as to insure prompt movement of ing, the plug valve I5 is so positioned as to lap the port I6. With the plug valve in this position, fluid released from the brake cylinder flows through pipe l4 and passage l3 to valve chamber 2, causing the valve 3 to be seated. Fluid also flows from passage I3 through the restricted passage into passage I1 and causes the valve 2| to be unseated against the opposing pressure of the spring 24. Fluid from the brake cylinder then flows past the open valve 2| to chamber 20 and thence to the atmosphere through passage 26, the restricted passage 2'! and the atmospheric passage 29. The two restricted passages l8 and 2'! being in series with each other, the rate at which fluid is vented from the brake cylinder in pressure retaining position will be slower than in slow release position.

Now when thebrake cylinder pressure has been reduced to such a degree that it can no longer hold the valve 2| unseated, the spring 24 acts to seat the valve. With said valve seated, the flow of exhaust fluid from the brake cylinder to chamber 20 is by way of the restricted passage 32, defined by the seating face of the valve 2! and the groove in the seat'member 23. The restricted passage 32 being in series with the restricted passages !8 and 21, with the valve 2| seated, the final Venting of fluid from the brake cylinder is at a slower rate than when the valve is unseated. If the brakes are not subsequently applied within a predetermined period of time, the brake cylinder will be completely depleted of fluid under pressure. The release of fluid under pressure from the brake cylinder by way of the restricted passage 32 is preferably at such a slow rate as will prevent undue acceleration oi? the speed of the train during the period of time normally required to recharge the equipment.

When the pressure in the brake cylinder has been reduced to a predetermined low degree, say five pounds, the valve 3 will be unseated, as hereinbefore described in connection with the slow release position of the retaining valve device, and permit rapid venting of the last few pounds of pressure from the brake cylinder.

It should be noted that when the operating handle 3| is turned up to either slow release position or to the pressure retaining position preparatory to descending a grade, fluid under pressure which may leak through the triple valve device into the brake cylinder, prior to the subsequent application of the brakes, will be vented to the atmosphere past the normally open valve 3, thereby preventing the creeping on of the brakes.

While one illustrative embodiment of the invention has been described in detail, it is not the intention to limit its scope to that embodiment or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

Having now described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a fluid pressure brake, the combination with a brake cylinder, of a valve device controlling a communication through which fluid is vented from the brake cylinder, a spring urging said valve device to open said communication, said valve device being subject on its spring side to the flow at a restricted rate of fluid from the brake cylinder to a passage through which fluid is vented from the brake cylinder and on the opposite side to the flow of fluid to said passage at a more rapid rate for moving said valve device to close said communication when the fluid pressure in said passage is increased by flow from the brake cylinder.

2. In a fluid pressure brake, the combination with a brake cylinder, of a valve device operative to control a vent connection to said brake cylinder and having differential areas subject to the pressure of the fluid vented from said brake cylinder to a passage, and a spring for biasing said valve to the position for opening said vent connection, said valve device being subject on its spring side to the flow, at a restricted rate, of fluid vented from said brake cylinder to said passage and operative upon the flow, at a more rapid rate, of fluid vented from said brake cylinder to said passage to close said vent connection.

3. The combination with a brake cylinder, of a device for controlling the exhaust of fluid from said brake cylinder and having two always open communications of different flow capacities through which said brake cylinder is adapted to be vented to the atmosphere, means for selective- 45 ly directing the flow of fluid from said brake cylinder through one or the other of said communications, and means operable upon a reduction in brake cylinder pressure to a predetermined pressure to open another communication through which said brake cylinder is vented.

DORIS BROWN DEAN, Emecutrix of the Last Will and Testament of William E. Dean, J12, Deceased. 

